Suspension-bridge.



W. H. C. GREBR.

SUSPENSION BRIDGE.

APPLIoATIoNnLBD JANxzs, 1909.

Patented Aug; 3o, 1910.

WILLIAM H. C. GREER, 0F SHERMAN, TEXAS.

SUSPENSION-BRIDGE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

Application filed January 28, 1909. Serial No. 474,883.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. C. GREER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sherman, in the county of Grayson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspension- Bridges, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates generally to suspension bridges; the object being to provide an exceedingly rigid and highly efficient structure, consisting of few parts, all of simple construction but so arranged as to effectually overcome the vertical motion in floor of spans of such bridges and adapting all of the parts to be erected without the usual expensive false work.

With these ends in view my invention consists in the novel features of construction and combinations of parts shown in the annexed drawings to which reference is hereby made and hereinafter particularly described and finally recited in the claim.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference letters Vdesignate like parts in the several views; Figure\l\is a side elevation of a portion of a bridge co\nstructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 ia-VV plan view of the same, the flooring being broken away t0 expose the frame work; Fig. 3 is an end view; and Fig. 4c is a detail section on the line X X of Fig. 1.

Upon each of the opposite banks of a river or other way, upon transverse base sills A, I provide opposite pairs of parallel vertical pillars B, preferably of iron pipe; the lower ends of each resting in sockets formed in the sill plates C; the pairs being further connected and supported by means of movable cap plates D and tie plates E, having openings near their ends for the reception of the pillars, and they may be located vertically at any suitable point desired. The two opposite pairs of pillars or towers thus formed are connected by transverse tie bars F, the ends of same being secured to the saddles G and they are braced at their lower ends by means of diagonal rods H, at the top by diagonal braces I, and intermediately by braces J all of which serve to maintain the pillars in rigid relative position.

Extending from one to the other of the opposite towers B, and resting upon the cap plates D, is a transverse cap or sill K, the

ends of which project beyond the towers some distance as shown; the cap plates being supported by the intermediate short pillars L interposed between them and the sill plates C.

M represents longitudinal beams or stringerswhich extend from the cap K to a shorev sill N. Upon said beams is laid the flooring O forming an approach to the bridge at opposite ends of the span.

In the banks beyond the towers, where solid earth may be found, I form transverse ditches or anchoring pits and sink therein transverse anchors P, which may be of tough logs or of iron as desired; and extending from saddle to saddle G of the opposite towers are suspension cables Q, the same being of ample strength and, as usual, sagging between their points of support. The opposite ends of these cables, that is from the towers to their extremities, decline toward the anchorage, and for the reception of the same the ground is ditched, enabling them to extend freely to the anchorage where they are provided with loops R through which the anchoring logs pass, so that the ends of the cables become very firmly secured and fcannot slip.

S designates a series of vertical suspension rods, the same being preferably formed of round iron and varying in length, that is being longer toward the ends of the series than at the center. The rods have hooks S at their upper ends, the said hooks engaging the suspension-cables between the towers. The lower ends of these rods extend through perforations in longitudinal metal plates T which perforations are arranged at intervals agreeing with the space between the rods. The 'ends of the rods below the plates are threaded and nuts applied rendering the plates capable of supporting the floor beams U which rest upon them adjacent to the rods, and these beams support the road bed V.

Secured to the inner pillars of each tower and located a suitable distance apart, one above the other, are angle iron bars W W" and the same extend along either side of the bridge throughout the length of the span, or in other words, from tower to tower. W rests upon the top side of the floor beams U and may be secured thereto and the bars W and W are tied together by diagonal braces X. Plates Y forming copings are arranged along the opposite edges of the roadway and bolted to the Hoor beams U which, with the lattice bracing,l reduces to a minimum the Vertical Vibrations of the roadway.

Haring described my invention and the best way now known to me of carryingl the same into effect, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In a suspension bridge, the combination with supporting pillars arranged on each bank, of suitably anchored cables passing over the tops of the pillars and connecting the pillars on opposite banks, a series of rods depending from the cables, horizontally disposed plates having their ends secured to the opposite pillars and connecting the same, the intermediate portion of said plates being supported by the rods, transverse beams supported by the plates, a flooring carried by the beams and secured against lateral movement thereon by bars, said bars engaging the sides of the liooring and having their ends secured to the opposite pillars, copings bearing, upon the looring for retaining the same upon the beams, said copings having their ends secured to the opposite pillars and their intermediate portion to the iooring` and the said bars, and a second set of bars secured to the opposite pillars a distance above and extending` parallel to the iirst set of bars and connected therewith by a lattice bracing.

ln testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM H. C. GREEK. lVitnesses W. L. BROWN, A. E. JAMIsoN. 

